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The artists Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, stepped out of
their limousine and into New York's Central Park.

All around them, workers were hard at it, erecting 7500 giant
metal gates.

Christo - a grey-haired, 69-year-old Bulgarian, who is, at this
moment, about as tired and elated as he has ever been - looked
around, deeply satisfied.

"Know why we're doing this?" he said, to a bunch of
schoolchildren who were visiting the park. "For no reason! It's
art, and art is for nothing!"

Well, not quite for nothing.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude - both use only first names - have
long been associated with grand works of art.

They met in Paris after Christo - who had made a name for
himself wrapping small items such as telephones - was invited to
Jeanne-Claude's family chateau to paint a portrait of
Jeanne-Claude's mother.

They have since wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin in silver cloth
and hung a curtain of orange fabric between two Rocky Mountain
slopes.

They surrounded 11 islands off the coast of Florida with pink
fabric and, in 1969, they came to Sydney and wrapped Little Bay in
90,000 square metres of mesh.

As such, they are often called "the wrapping artists" which
greatly annoys them. "It's a stupid mistake to think that we wrap
everything," Christo says.

Indeed, they have not wrapped anything for at least 15 years,
and they won't be wrapping Central Park. Instead, workers yesterday
began erecting The Gates, which are literally that: 7500
gates, from which will hang 7500 curtains of specially woven,
saffron-coloured cloth.

People will be able to walk through the gates, touch the
material, and marvel at the shadows. From the buildings around the
park, the artists hope that people will see a "shimmering river" of
saffron fabric, winding its way over snow-covered paths, and
through the bare trees.

The project, which has cost $US17 million ($22.2 million) - plus
$US3 million to hire Central Park - has been 26 years in the
making. That's how long it took to get permission to use the
park.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude made more than 100 presentations to
New York City officials, some of whom were wary of letting anybody
lay a finger on a place so dear to the heart of New Yorkers.

Many could not see the point of the installation. As one asked
at a public meeting: "Twenty-seven miles of shower curtains around
the park? Is that necessary, Mr Christo, to promote yourself?"

Others wanted to know why the artists couldn't use a less
precious location, such as Prospect Park in Brooklyn. In reply,
Jeanne-Claude asked: "I want to ask the gentleman a silly question.
Did you marry the lady you wanted or did you marry an alternative
woman?"

Environmentalists had concerns, too. What would the birds make
of the billowing fabric? Were the artists serious about drilling
15,000 holes in the park, for the poles that hold the fabric
up?

They were, but they were told it was impossible. So they
designed new gates that are moored on heavy steel bases. No digging
has been necessary.

None of which means it won't be beautiful, inspiring,
fascinating and extraordinary. Or that some people won't hate
it.

Some critics have labelled Christo a modern-day Barnum, a
creator of circus-style extravaganzas. Others have said the quiet
dignity of Central Park will be destroyed by The Gates, even
though the installation is temporary. They have compared it to the
irritation people cause by talking loudly in the library.

But the mayor of New York, billionaire art collector Michael
Bloomberg, is a friend of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Last year he
gave his blessing to the project, provided the artists paid for it
themselves and paid to use the park.

Christo and Jean-Claude say they will make no money from the
project itself, since The Gates will be free to see. "It's
like bringing up a child," said Christo. In other words, the
pleasure is just in doing it, regardless of the cost.

They raised the money for the project - and their income - by
selling Christo's drawings of The Gates for $US30,000 to
$US600,000. The pair do not sell T-shirts, postcards or posters and
accept no sponsorship.

There is no official starting time, no best place to view The
Gates, no suggested place to start or finish. The idea is just
to go, walk around and experience it.

The artists object to the idea that their works are best seen
from the air, saying: "No! None of the work is designed for the
birds. All have a scale to be enjoyed by human beings who are on
the ground."

All of the gates are expected to be in place by Friday. Each
will have a plastic cocoon suspended from the top, in which lies
the curtain of saffron fabric. Those will be opened on Saturday.
The curtains will hang for 16 days, after which the whole thing
will be taken down and the materials recycled.

The artists say the temporary nature of the project is part of
the appeal: "Like childhood, it is precious because we know it does
not last."

About The Gates:The Gates will
cost $US20 million, including a $US3 million fee for use of Central
Park. It opens to the public on Saturday and will be taken down on
February 28.

The artists object to claims that they ruin natural
environments, saying the materials used for their installations are
always removed and recycled.